Tell us the job

New Plymouth, Taranaki

Tree removal in New Plymouth

Removals, trimming, hedges and storm work in New Plymouth, passed to a local arborist.

New Plymouth District Council doesn't manage trees on private property, but notable trees in its District Plan come with rules, so check SCHED4 and ask the council before a big tree is cut.

  • We match you with the local arborist who does your kind of job.
  • One form, and the arborist who takes the job rings you.
  • Storm jobs and fallen trees marked urgent.

Tree job in New Plymouth?

What needs doing?

If anyone is in danger, call 111. Keep clear of fallen power lines and call your lines company. Then tell us the job.

Only one local arborist gets your number.

A chainsaw held in two gloved hands cutting through a log on the ground, chainsaw chaps and boots behind it

The right arborist for the tree

A big macrocarpa near the house is not the same work as a hedge trim or a stump, so the job comes first.

Only one local arborist gets your number.

One arborist gets your contact details for the job, so only one person rings you.

Storm jobs marked urgent

Choose storm damage and the arborist sees it flagged. If anyone is in danger, ring 111 first.

Check the council rules first

Notable tree lists and district plans protect plenty of trees. The tree rules pages cover the main councils.

What happens next

A local arborist gets in touch.

Tell us the job

  1. Tell us the job

    The tree, what it needs, and your postcode. A few taps.

  2. We pass it on

    To an arborist working near your postcode.

  3. They ring you

    They talk it over, usually come and look, and put the quote in writing. Your call.

Storm damage and fallen trees in New Plymouth

Call 111 if anyone is hurt or in danger. Keep well back from fallen lines and anything touching them. Powerco looks after the lines in Taranaki and takes calls for electricity emergencies and tree enquiries.

Council tree rules in New Plymouth

The Part Operative District Plan 2025 lists notable trees in SCHED4, and they're marked on the planning maps. These are trees the council rates as outstanding for historical, botanical, landscape, amenity or cultural value.

The rules reach past the trunk. They cover trimming and maintenance, earthworks and root pruning, and removal, partial removal or destruction, and a resource consent may be needed for work on the tree or close to it.

For anything outside the rules you'll need a consent with a report from an approved arborist on the tree's value and the effects of the work. The council is clear there's no guarantee it'll be granted, and conditions can be attached.

Tree removal in New Plymouth: what's local

One of the windiest regions

NIWA says the predominant westerly makes Taranaki one of the windiest regions in New Zealand. New Plymouth Airport records gusts over 63 km/hr on an average of 83 days a year, and over 96 km/hr on 6.

Spring is the worst

Spring is usually the windiest season: of all the strong winds recorded at New Plymouth, 31% came in spring. That's a good time to have looked at a big tree already, not to start booking.

Bola and the 2007 tornadoes

Ex-tropical cyclone Bola severely damaged almost 500 houses in the district in March 1988, and an estimated 10,000 trees came down across Taranaki. In July 2007 a swarm of tornadoes uprooted trees from Oakura to Bell Block, and fallen trees and lines blocked the main state highway south of the city.

A hazardous notable tree

If you think a notable tree is dangerous, contact the council before anyone touches it. A council arborist or another qualified arborist will assess it.

Neighbours' trees in New Plymouth

Street trees are the council's. Residents can't prune or remove them, or plant trees on berms, and the council says lopping and topping aren't part of how it cares for trees.

For a neighbour's tree, the council's advice is to contact it if the tree is notable. Otherwise, start with a tactful conversation, and get legal and arboricultural advice if that doesn't settle it. Our neighbours' trees guide covers the law.

Tree pruning and lopping in New Plymouth

Lots of people ask for a tree to be lopped or topped to bring it down to size, and that's a fair thing to want. The council doesn't do it to its own trees, and arborists generally won't recommend it either: stubs regrow as dense, weakly attached shoots that catch the next westerly. A crown reduction keeps the tree's shape and strength. Lopping vs pruning explains the difference.

Hiring an arborist in New Plymouth

Check SCHED4 and the planning maps first, then ring the council to confirm before getting quotes. If the tree is notable, ask the arborist whether they can write the report the council needs. If it's near a line, ring Powerco before anyone else.

Tree removal in New Plymouth: common questions

How do I find out if my tree is notable?

Look for it in SCHED4 of the Part Operative District Plan 2025 and on the planning maps, then confirm with New Plymouth District Council.

Can I ask for my tree to be made notable?

Yes. Contact the council to ask for an assessment. A council arborist or another qualified arborist checks it against the criteria, and if it qualifies it can go into a later District Plan change, which is publicly notified.

Can I trim the street tree outside my house?

No. New Plymouth District Council doesn't let residents prune or remove street trees. Contact the council if one needs attention.

Need an arborist in New Plymouth?

Choose the job and add your postcode, and a local arborist gets in touch.

Tree job in New Plymouth?

What needs doing?

Only one local arborist gets your number.

Council tree rules in Taranaki

More on tree removal in New Plymouth

Sources

Tree rules change, so check with your council before anything is cut. How we write and check these pages.